The present invention is related to network communications and, in particular, to a system and method for controlling multimedia information in audio/video/data system using, for example, a personal computer having Graphical User Interface for user control of multimedia components.
Control of multimedia information in audio/video/data systems may be one of the greatest challenges in today's highly integrated systems comprising many multimedia components. The existence of 200 Compact Disk (CD) changer, for example, creates difficulties in determining how to access the required information on the disk in a simple and user-friendly manner. Hence, users must have means for accessing the multimedia components and information on the recording medium with minimum of effort on their part.
Further, when multimedia components, such as the CD changer, the Video Tape Recorder (VTR), etc. are connected into a single integrated system, interface specifications for each component are typically kept at some central controlling device. If a new component is added to the system, the controlling device must be updated with the interface specification for this new component. This inconvenient procedure is also prone to errors resulting in the inoperative component due to the high likelihood of entering incorrect information in the controlling device. This will prevent the newly added multimedia component from functioning in the system.
In addition, due to the numerous configurations of rooms, concert halls, auditoriums, etc. and many possible sound fields, it is nearly impossible for an audio/video receiver in the integrated system to store all of the sound fields, corresponding to the physical configuration of each enclosed space, in memory. Currently, audio/video receivers have only a small selection of sound fields, because of limited storage capacity and processing power in the audio/video receivers.
A need therefore exists for a system and method for overcoming the above disadvantages.